ABSTRACT
Iron is a requirement for not only erythropoiesis but also the production of normal, viable eggs. An active homeostatic control of iron metabolism is required to supply adequate iron for both egg and red blood cell formation. The Japanese quail Coturnix coturnix japonica a species with a short generation cycle and an intensive egg production is an appropriate experimental model for the investigation of iron status during the laying period under normal as well as iron-deficient circumstances. The interrelationship of egg-laying and hemopoiesis was demonstrated in a study of a population of wild, free-ranging great skuas living in their normal habitat. Most birds have the ability to re-lay eggs after partial or complete loss of their clutch, a mechanism that helps insure procreation under adverse conditions. The iron content of bone marrow increased significantly at the initiation of laying and was the highest at the final analysis.
